Forgetfulness + diabetes = ???

It’s been a busy month. Somehow once I get past a certain point of “overwhelmed”, I become very forgetful. In the last week, I have been SO forgetful: forgetting to do things for work, forgetting where I need to be, forgetting what I was thinking about a minute ago. So I keep lists, set reminders, and try to deal with the forgetfulness.

But it doesn’t make for easy blood sugar management. Here’s what happened tonight.

I tested in the evening before bed. My blood sugar was 55 mg/dl. I decided that the treatment for this low blood sugar should include juice (6g) and a chocolate bar (14g). I drank a shot glass of juice (yes, I treat my lows using a shot glass to measure my juice).

[Here’s the part where I don’t remember what happened.]

About 20 minutes later, I think “did I eat that that chocolate bar”? I have absolutely no idea. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. Sounds like no big deal– unless you realize that this is the difference between good blood sugar through the night or facing a nighttime low.

So, accepting my forgetfulness for what it is (meanwhile hating it), I search for clues. First stop, ask the husband: did he SEE me eating a chocolate bar? (No help, but it’s not in the husband job description to make a mental note of everything that enters wife’s mouth.) Second stop, trash can: is there a chocolate bar wrapper on the top? YES!! So I did eat the chocolate bar (or is that the wrapper from one I ate after lunch? Did I eat one after lunch?)…

I figure that I am 75% sure that I ate the chocolate bar that will prevent the nighttime low. To be safe, I ate a 6g chocolate bar, figuring that it’s better to risk being a little high in the morning.

Two hours after falling asleep, I awake in a cold sweat and the meter confirms the low at 48 mg/dl. So I sit here writing to you to tell you that I solved the mystery, I did NOT eat that chocolate bar before bed and to let you know that forgetfulness and diabetes are not a good combination.

After another shot glass of juice and a chocolate bar (for REAL this time), I’m heading back to bed…

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14 Responses to “Forgetfulness + diabetes = ???”

This happens to me as well sometimes. Don’t sweat it. You can only do what you can don’t let diabetes make you crazy, then it has won. Bottom line you corrected at night and good to go back to sleep! :) Take care!

I ask my husband “did I eat this and that” all the time…good to see I am not the only diabetic wife who does it. I am glad you are doing better:) You treat your lows with a candy bar and juice??? I haven’t had juice in for years. I bet that was good.

When I was on injections and had to do a bedtime snack, this kind of thing happened a lot. I also talk in my sleep if asked a question. I’ll never forget my mom waking me up and bringing me juice because apparently I’d told her (in my sleep) that I had skipped a snack. When she brought it to me, I was annoyed and told her exactly what my sugar had been and what I’d eaten. She was understandably confused. Not so much an issue of forgetfulness as it was which one of her fussy teenage daughters to believe!

I love the way you hunt for clues. I giggled as I read it. My husband and I check the trash can to find out if the other fed the cat or not. ;) And who hasn’t dug a package out that was thrown away in the haste of cooking before you’d figured out the carb count and serving size?!

Oh my gosh, I’ve done this sooo many times…cook the stuff, eat it, then go digging for the can/wrapper to read the carbs, etc..I was laughing to. Taking the meds/shots is another issue. I have to play games w/myself, leave out the needle or med container to remind myself I DID take it..just another fun part of D.

Not only do I often forget if I’ve 1.) taken insulin shot or 2.) eaten anything, But I also tend to forget BIG things that occured when my health was bad,, certainly if I’ve had a bad reaction or a stressfilled hospitalization for any reason… the days seem “gone.” You ever experience that? Luckily, husband John has a good memory for details, dates and all — so I’m often quizzing him about My life.
Sheeesh!

I believe these actions, correcting lows and highs, become so automatic after a while, that one just do it without thinking to much. You just do it, while thinking about other stuff. But then you realise your actions are pretty much important, being a diabetic. You try to remember, but it was not “registered” well and no records can be found… It happens to everybody I guess… anyway, it happened already several times to me… and ends up sometimes with a low or a high… your story sounds very familiar…

The same case use to happen with me. I am a traveler i have to travel for my business. I use to face many problems as i am diabetic. I always use to forget that i have taken insulin or not , Because of not taking insulin i use face many effects on my body like i use to get mum , i use to start sweating like anything. some times i even use to get faint. The people around me were new and were strangers so they never use to get what exactly am i facing with. Then i once ordered a medical bracelet which i wear it all the time. It helps me to remind me about my medicine and insulin and it also helps other to notice what exactly am i facing and act appropriately.